NEWBURGH, Ind. — Coal may have been in some Christmas stockings yesterday, but in Indiana it’s suddenly back on the nice list.
Federal officials have ordered two Indiana coal-fired power plants that were scheduled to close at the end of the year to remain in operation into the winter and beyond, citing concerns about reliability on the Midwest electric grid.
The U.S. Department of Energy issued emergency orders requiring Northern Indiana Public Service Co. and CenterPoint Energy to keep units at the R.M. Schahfer Generating Station in Wheatfield and the F.B. Culley Generating Station in Warrick County available for service instead of retiring them as planned.
The directives, issued under Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, are designed to keep the plants operating through at least March 23, unless further action is taken. Federal officials said the move is aimed at ensuring reliable and affordable electricity during periods of high winter demand.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the orders were necessary to address potential shortages in electric generation capacity across parts of the Midwest. The Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which oversees the regional grid, has warned that available resources could be strained as demand rises.
Utilities affected by the orders said they will comply while reviewing operational and customer impacts. Northern Indiana Public Service Co. said it is assessing the effects of the directive, while CenterPoint Energy and MISO were also instructed to take steps to keep the units ready to operate.
The action is part of a broader federal effort to delay the retirement of some aging coal plants amid ongoing grid reliability concerns. Critics argue the move could increase costs and slow the transition to cleaner energy, while supporters say keeping existing plants online is necessary to prevent outages as the region adjusts to growing energy demand.
